If you’re interested in babywearing and you live in Atlanta, you need to visit Koala Mommas. Period.
Koala Mommas is a local group that was founded in 2006 by a pair of moms who love to wear their babies. And who love their baby carriers. A lot.
I attended quite a few Koala Mommas meetings before I had a large collection of carriers of my own. And although I like to think I’m pretty knowledgeable about baby carriers, the group leaders I encountered at Koala Mommas are the ones who showed me what a true babywearing expert looks like. True babywearing experts own as many carriers as they do dresses. They change their carriers for every season and color scheme. Their favorite carrier changes every few months depending on their mood, the season, and the age of their baby. Best of all, if they’re Koala Mommas experts, then they will let you try their carriers so you can find your favorite.
A typical Koala Mommas meeting doesn’t have a lot of structure. They usually meet in baby-friendly public places like coffee shops. Members introduce themselves as they gather, and then everybody starts pulling out their carriers. Both members and leaders bring carriers for new attendees to try on. If you want to try on a particular type of carrier–say, a Maya wrap ring sling–you just ask if anyone has a ring sling you can try. Then you ask for an expert on ring slings to show you how to use it. Most of the meeting consists of lots of moms trying on carriers and walking around with their babies in them to see how comfortable they are. If your baby falls asleep in a carrier you’ve borrowed, that’s a sure sign you’ve found the right carrier to buy.
But, of course, in a few months your baby might change his mind, and you’ll need a different type of carrier. Which just gives you another excuse to visit a Koala Mommas meeting. Because you can never have too many baby carriers.